Here you’ll find announcements about ecological events and activities on campus and in our community. Some of this information also appears in posts to the “Home” page. The calendar in the sidebar links to entries in our blog.
Note: Starting in April, this blog will no longer be updated regularly.
Springfield Clean Energy Forum
Tuesday, March 30, 7:00 to 8:30 pm, Temple Hall 2
Join the conversation about a clean energy economy at this SSF event.
Energy Cafe for Ozarks New Energy: The Wind Connection
Monday, March 22, 6:00 to 7:30 pm, Farmers Gastropub, 431 South Jefferson Avenue, Springfield
Guest speaker Dan Boyt, wind energy instructor at Crowder College’s Missouri Alternative and Renewable Energy Technology Center (MARET), leads this month’s discussion at the always stimulating Energy Cafe. Free and open to the public.
Workshop for Integrating Sustainability into Curriculum
Credit: BSFS
Dr. Alexander Waite and Dr. Lora Vess co-host a weekend for faculty and students to discuss how to mesh classes and environmental principles. Dinner at Dr. Waite’s home on Friday, March 19, 6:00 to 9:00 pm. Workshops at Bull Shoals Field Station on Saturday, March 20, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Talk with Hannah for details.
Show Me Sustainability Conference
Show Me Sustainability Conference, March 19-21, at the University of Missouri (Columbia, MO). Erin and Carina are among those attending.
Highlights through mid-February
Tuesday, February 16
- 11:00 am to 3:00 pm (PSU): Call-in day for Clean Energy MO. Volunteers wanted!
- 5:00 pm (Glass 429): Matt O’Reilly. Pizza is provided.
- Deadline for early bird registration for the Show Me Sustainability Conference.
Monday, February 22, 5:30 pm, Temple Hall (Room TBA): Lindsey Berger talks about the climate summit.
Thursday, February 25, 4:00 pm, SSF Office: notebook party.
Quick summary of upcoming events & activities
- Postponed until further notice: Sisters on the Planet film & documentary
- Talk continues about proposals for the Student Sustainability Fund. Please bring ideas to our next meeting so that we can get Missouri State closer to being a green school, as ranked by the national Sierra Club.
- Instead of co-hosting a party to celebrate graduation, Libby will sponsor an outing for our club in mid-February.
- On Thursday, February 18 at 5:00 pm in the PSU theater, Clayton Daughenbaugh of the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) gives a free photo-presentation about the preservation campaign.
- February 16 is the deadline for early registration ($10) to attend the Show Me Sustainability Conference, March 19-21, at the University of Missouri (Columbia, MO).
We’re hiking & camping at Hercules Glades this weekend
We’re planning a hiking/camping trip at Hercules Glades this weekend, from Saturday evening through Sunday evening (January 23-24). If you want to go, please contact Jake. His phone number is (417) 252-3736. Also, let him know if you can provide transportation. Talk with Jake or Clay if you have any questions.
Event details (tentative)
- Saturday (01.23): depart at 4:00 pm from Clay & Jake’s house
For the address, call Jake at (417) 252-3736 - Sunday (01.24): rise early, break down camp, hike a 10-15 mile loop, and return to Springfield (7 pm ETA home)
Camping gear (provide your own)
- tent, mat, bag
- gloves, warm clothes, etc.
- fuel/stove, mess kit, utensils
- toilet paper, toothpaste & toothbrush, contact case & solution, etc.
Hiking gear
- backpack, compass, whistle, knife
- first aid kit, ibuprofen, chapstick
- matches/lighter/fire starter
- extra pair of wool socks, emergency blanket, rain gear
- duct tape, flashlight, etc
Food & water
Bring water and supplies for three meals (dinner, breakfast, & a packable lunch). There won’t be a portable spigot at the campsite.
Potluck, RecyleMania, Energy Cafe, & more!
- Potluck at the Green House (aka the home of Clay, Jake, Miles, et al.) – Thursday, January 14, 6:30 pm
- Kickoff for RecycleMania – Sunday, January 17, all day, MSU
- Energy Cafe – Monday, January 18, 6:00 pm at Farmers Gastropub
Lindsay Berger, delegation leader for Focus the Nation, speaks about the UN Climate Change Summit, which took place in Copenhagen. - Alternative Spring Break – Sunday, March 7 through Friday, March 12
Want to spend spring break getting dirty while cleaning part of an ecosystem? Participate in a cleanup along the Ohio River in Louisville, KY with Living Lands and Waters. Students are responsible for costs of transportation, lodging, and most meals. Want details? Follow this link to the website of LLW.
Sierra Club goes to the MSU sustainability fair in PSU
Credit: MSU Sustainability
Want a break from studying? Come to the student union on Wednesday, November 18, and join in the special events for Missouri State’s Continuing Path to Sustainability, 8:00 am – 9:00 pm. It’s an information fair with exhibits, presentations, a theatrical production (Heartland), and a documentary (Fresh).
Got questions for or about Sierra Club? Stop by our booth in PSU, 4:00 – 7:00 pm.
A frightfully messy Bearfest: Homecoming ’09!
Right: Clay (Zombie Wal-M clerk)
Credit: Sierra Club
We plucked nearly 900 recyclables from amid garbage, tables, and asphalt. And those were just the improper items!
Our costumes at the Homecoming Bearfest on Halloween showcased our recycling campaign. We received enthusiastic help from two young environmentalists. Erin Anderson and her friend pitched in to grab cans, bottles, and other materials. Thanks, ladies!
More photos later.
October brings a stash of events
(Credit: Virtual Arboretum)
Fall break occurs October 15-16 for The Long Weekend. Later this month, we’re holding a stenciling fiesta to lively up our recycling bins.
Last and best, there’s Halloween Homecoming 2009 on October 31, with a costumed recycling gig during the tailgate party at Bearfest Village.
Potluck, Bear Stomp, Float Trip, & More
- This Friday (09.04) is Art Walk. Prior to Art Walk, Jake and his roomies are hosting a potluck supper. Please bring something to share.
- Next Saturday, 09.12, we’re having a Bear stomp to gather recyclables during Bear Fest for the football game. We’ll be in the parking lot across from the stadium from 10:00 am-3:00 pm.
- Afterward, we’re heading out for weekend float trip and will return to campus on Sunday (09.13). the cost is $7. Contact Jake for more information.
- On Wednesday, 09.09, the Springfield Plateau Grotto of the NSS holds a meeting about caving. Details forthcoming.
- And on Monday, 09.21, The Age of Stupid premieres at the Hollywood Theaters.
Sustainable Actions for a Sustainable Future (April 21-24)
Increase your knowledge about issues of sustainability. This week, Missouri State University hosts Sustainable Actions for a Sustainable Future, the 2009 Public Affairs Conference.
All events are free and open to the public. Events occur in the PSU and Carrington Hall on the Springfield campus. See the full schedule.
Panel Series: Globalization and the Environment (April 6-7)
Learn about the connections between the environment and economics at these informative sessions given by members of the Missouri State faculty. Sierra Club hosts the three-session series. This on-campus event is free.
Monday, April 6
- Economics of Sustainable Development
- Dr. John Harms (Dept. of Sociology)
- 5:00 – 6:15 pm, Strong Hall #407
- Impacts of Coal and Aluminum Mining
- Dr. Melida Gutierrez and Damon Bassett (Dept. of Geology)
- 7:00 – 8:30 pm, Temple Hall #105
Tuesday, April 7
- Localizing Energy and Sustainable Agriculture
- Dr. Alexander Wait (Dept. of Biology) and Dr. Inno Onwueme (Dept. of Agriculture)
- 7:00 – 8:30 pm, Temple Hall #143
We hope to see you at these events!
Note from Web Director (10.18.2009): We’ve received several requests for additional information about the topics discussed in this panel series. Here is one source for research, courtesy of Dr. Gutierrez.
“Why Save a Can?” by Melida Gutierrez and Cheryl Johnson, 2009. Science Activities. Vol. 46, No. 1, pages 7 – 11.
You should be able to access the article with EBSCO, Google Scholar, and similar tools. Hope this helps.
The coordinator for the series graduated this past spring and one of the presenters has moved to another university.
-Libby-